The Darkness Within
by RobotRob
Summary: A story of the Black Moon Civilization and how an entire nation disappeared from record. Lazara, Princess of the Ebon Civilization, and her crew go on an adventure that visits all nations of Arcadia. The story sheds light on the deep past of Arcadia.
1. Starry Sky

1. A Starry Sky  
  
Here I lay, future savior of the Black Moon civilization. Thoughts; bizarre and philosophical thoughts cloud my consciousness as I try to leave this existence for my sanctuary; my dreams. What makes a savior any different from a hero, or for that matter... a villain? A trace of doubt strikes my mind, a single blasphamic thought that nevertheless I could not retort. Puzzling turmoil crept over my mind as I ventured forth an answer to the rhetorical question my subconscious presented.  
  
"... an intent to do good?...". Unsure, I awaited an answer. Nothing came. Feeling an alarming discontent, I scratched at the door of my mind, imploring an answer that would not come. I looked up. The usual, calming vortex of hurried air whistled overhead as I sat up, perhaps looking for an answer in the stars. Perhaps, but why? There was an unusual feeling in the air this night; a feeling of remorse, a feeling of death. Or was it so unusual?   
  
The same moonstone beacon, Naslidarc's Lantern, whirring in the background, giving a repentant light and cutting the solemn mood like a blade of contrition. A gift from our temporary allies in this mass warfare: the Silvites. Before their "discovery" of our now glorious civilization, we had nothing. We lived in poverty, with only the darkness and our gravity wells to comfort us. No prior records of anything past the Coming. We as a people call this time the Age of Ignorance. It could be said we owe them our existence. those wise and noble human beings. Those philanthropists. Naslidarc was the first of their people to grace our nation. Said to be an odd man even by his own people, he landed his airship to survey our desolate land, and immediately fell in love with our culture, but more importantly on our widowed queen, Scyra the Blessed. Theirs was the first inter-civilization marriage, and it may have saved our race from almost inevitable destruction.   
  
The years previous to the discovery, our people were engaged in battle with fierce iron demons, with long steel beaks, and wielding wands of power, their hunger only quenched by the sacrifice of our precious Sacred rocks, our moonstones. With the arrival of these Silver Beings came the withdraw of these monsters. We saw these travelers as Gods. This sentiment was put to rest, however, when Queen Scyra was killed in an assassination attempt. Many speculate it was the work of fanatical bigots from either civilization. Others say the assassins were hired by the other civilizations, seeking to cut short the friendly ties between our nations through a death threat directed toward Naslidarc. Our Blessed Queen, instead saw the attempt and leapt to intercept the arrow, at the cost of her own life. At least that is how the textbooks describe the happenings. Not much more is said upon the matter, except that Naslidarc, after the demise of his only love locked himself inside his large mechanical workshop. He was, aside from being a leader of his peoples was also a gifted inventor. He died alone, found with a knife through his heart and the blood on his hands. The castle guards found a strange device in his hands, his last gift to the people of this land, the Naslidarc's Lantern. In lament, the people of the Silver and Black Civilizations constructed a large obelisk, the Pyramid of Scyra, with a compartment at the very top where the Lantern can reach all of the lands under the Black Moon.  
  
Such is the way saviors are. Fleeting creatures, they are. Of course I did not yet know my purpose, however I felt it in my heart. I am Lazara, Princess-in-waiting and descendent of those forsaken people; star struck lovers, painted within the tapestry of this solemn story. Yes, deep within myself, I could feel my purpose burning inside. Waiting to be revealed, yet remaining hidden in a shroud of familiar darkness. Ebonites, as we are called, do not have overbearing emotions. This is a direct effect of living in a place without natural light, since an impenetrable Dark Rift surrounds the entire island continent on all sides. It was not until the Silvites arrived that we realized there was more out there. We had assumed the rift continued on until you left this existence. Starry nights were seen as an Oman of the Lights, a sign of blessing from the heavens, when evil was impaled by God's deep gaze. It is still seen as just that, only now more for a religious purpose than the easing of paranoid thoughts. Alas, we have learned much in those thousands of years since. What brave new world did you unleash upon us, Naslidarc?  
  
My thoughts continued to drift as I panned my room with my eye, a very plain room, considering my social status. It merely contained a bed, a table and a bookshelf. The moonstone lamp jutting from the smooth ceiling gave a pale white glow. The flow of light wavered and the ground shook with the force of colliding islands. I awoke from my ecstatic delirium with an unfamiliar sound, followed shortly by a k-krsshhhh! and the fall of a castle tower. I looked down, helpless as the tower came down on fleeing men, women, children... my people. God why? WHY?! The Flash of Naslidarc's Lantern lashed out onto my face as I turned around to see the creature causing this terrible event. Staring in the sky, I looked on in frustrated horror as a ship launched volley after searing volley of cannon fire. The Lantern blinding me from the shape of the vessel, I waited in anxious patience to identify the ship. The air stirred, the light lifted its stinging tale from my face, and I was finally able to determine the vessel's origin. What... Silvite?! It's not possible. God have mercy on us. I was staring at the Flagship of my friend, of my childhood friend, Admiral Ralinto Cales of the 1st Silvite Naval Fleet. Behind the ship, a clear, starry sky leered apathetically at the helter- skelter below.   
Beyond the manifested betrayal attacking my people, the rift opened up as an eye does from a nurturing sleep. A shooting star streaked across the otherwise devoid sky, giving light to the ebon moon. God is aware, and he is doing nothing. Well, they gave an answer to your question. My subconscious answered the now tattered door, however now I wanted to slam the door in its face. 


	2. The Onslaught

2. The Onslaught  
  
I'm not sure what just happened. The world became a blur of horrible ill will and unprovoked aggression. I looked everywhere for the answer: the books; keepers of knowledge, the window; the outside world, and listened to the deplorable screams of my people as they die. Regardless, nothing could offer my mind sanctuary. I reached for my scepter, its black gem glistened for a second, and the light was swallowed in the vast depths of the jewel. I could feel the essences from my body being channeled into the staff, like an exorcism of sanity. My rage came out as I tore open the door to my chambers.  
  
That, you see, is the very power of the black moonstones. All things in this world have an essence, and the black crystal simply redirects this essence into an onslaught of power, amplifying it a hundredfold. That is why the stones were considered sacred for so long. It wasn't until the Discovery that we even knew how they worked. Science, the killer of all things religious. Nevertheless, the stones guaranteed our civilization a chance to show the ranks of the world we are a force to be reckoned with. Would we even still exist if it were not for these solidified enigmas? The current situation tells me my answer. But then why would the Silver Civilization attack us? We have been allies since we were ignorant. Why launch an attack at the height of our understanding? We have realized our power. It would have seemed wise to eliminate us when we were a feeble nation.   
  
Regardless, this betrayal will not go unpunished. As I sprint down the corridor, my officers joined me one after one. The foundation shook with the force of cannon fire, the lights dimming and the ceiling spitting dust like a viper ready to strike. Running down the hall, I soon felt the presence of an invisible force. It was Sarlinto, my first mate. Every now and then, he finds it funny to surprise me as I walk down the hall. Now is not the time for games. I reach out with my crystal staff and knock it against his forehead. He cannot surprise me in a heightened state as I am in now. Sarlinto does not live in this world. He is... unique. Sarlinto is a retired assassin from the Black Dagger; the best assassin guild in all of Arcadia, which stands as a testament of how corrupt civilization has made my people. He somehow became one of my crew, but there is no time to tell that tale. Right now I'm focused on one thing: getting to my ship and defending my people.  
  
My flagship, the Harbinger, sat floating at its dock. The ship looked like a grontus, a native creature of the Dark Rift with wings and a body mostly made of a mouth and stomach. However, grontus' are peaceful creatures, this one can bite. The gangplank lowered the moment we were in sight of the ship, and the repair personnel made final preparations for our departure. Positions were taken, orders were given, and the docking bay doors drifted open. The drift winds tore into the palace with a heated fury. I could feel the anguish of the dead scratching at my face and I could only look back apologetically. Channeling my essence, I dispersed my shadow overtop the hull. My energies now became the ship's armor, my awareness was lent to the whole crew, giving us a way to communicate and synchronize our actions. I could feel the fire of a hundred angry souls preparing for war. I could feel the sorrow of the crew's losses; their murdered relatives, murdered lovers. The burn of the pain from this unified sense of being was almost too much to bear, but if I must bear the weight for justice, I would a hundred times over. Port, starboard, bow, and stern, all the ships extremities were crying out in anguish.  
  
A column of fire rose from the ground. Those bastards were using magic on innocent people! Along the leyline of souls, the weight was increased. I could feel my sanity drip away, slowly compensating my straining mind with its sacrifice. I could feel the armor thicken as the unity of consciousness became more and more dense.  
  
"Ready the engines, on the double. We cannot afford delay. Full speed ahead." As I spouted out orders, another ship appeared from God's Eye, and another, and another. There was a relentless deluge of silver and gray. Every ship introduced meant more tension to the unity and an æon recoil on my sanity. Soon there would be nothing but rage. I had to act fast. Luckily, I was on a fast ship. We were soon within boarding distance of the Serena, the flagship of Ralinto Cales. Ropes and grapples flew overboard. Men jumped onto the ropes and slid down the lines. My consciousness was released from its black bonds and I made my way to board, Sarlinto at my side.  
  
"What's the first order of business once we're on board, captain?" he inquired in a shadowy voice, "Should we secure prisoners or spare the dungeon of mercy's weight?" He had his mouth covered with a mask, but I could sense his sinister grin. Strangely, I couldn't help but feel the same way. We jumped to the ropes and slid onto the opposing deck.  
  
"There will be no killing. Head straight to the bridge and take Cales into custody. I would like to have some words with him." He only gave a slightly disappointed bow and disappeared into oblivion. I ran on, lacking the ability to disappear. How I envy him sometimes. able to live in another reality, coming and going as he pleases. Why can't I have that too? Reality is a blessing, not an anchor. My subconscious awoke again, now free of its bonds of thorns. I almost prefer the pain of a hundred tortured souls to the retorts and sage advice of my mind. Just like science to ruin anything emotionally driven. Why can't it just leave people alone to speculate amongst themselves? There are answers out there. Aren't you tired of staring at the emptiness of the Rift in your mind? Dammit! I wish I could draw my mind blank, but I needed to stay alert. There were opposing crewmen scattered all over the ship, ready to spring on any life that invaded their lair and extinguish it. I drew a dagger from my ankle brace and forced the gem on my staff to form a triangular blade. I had to aim for legs. I didn't want any more killing. My awareness was heightened through the power of my scepter. One by one, I rushed past crewmember after crewmember, lightly slashing at shins, calves, anything that would temporarily cripple. I detested killing. Gashing one leg, tripping another, and making my way to the glass door leading to the bridge. I was not going to spend anymore time than was required. My people were still dying.  
  
The door was locked, and beyond I could see at least ten guards standing in wait for an excuse to reach out and render death on anything that enters. I waited. Suddenly, I hear a "poof!" then an "oh crap!" and about ten thumps on the floor. Something walked to the door and unlocked it, opening to reveal Sarlinto and a Silvite man half in shock with his sword drawn. Sarlinto walked casually around him, leaned his elbow on the poor man's shoulders and gazed on at me. Paralysis is his specialty, aside from invisibility and teleportation. I looked down at the fallen soldiers and pleasantly found there was no blood escaping their bodies.  
  
"Are you pleased, captain?" He asked in a slightly sarcastic tone. I shot an annoyed look at him and walked beside the frozen Cales. His eyes shifted to look at me, his despair polluting the air and his brow perspiring. He was in for it. He was going to answer my questions, then, when I had no further use for him, he would serve his punishment.  
  
"Why have you openly attacked MY nation unprovoked? Who sent you to attack us? Why would YOU attack the country you will soon rule after our marriage and the coronation?" Yes, we were betrothed. WERE.   
  
"I... I'm sorry. I did not want to attack our future kingdom, but I had orders from the Silver Magistrate themselves. If I did not, they were going to execute me and send a more ruthless general in my place. Those were warning shots to surrender, and when we saw you send ships out, we launched a small volley of magic onto the ground. We did not mean for it to escalate to this. I care for these people as well. They're my subjects!" Just then I heard a loud crash and a sudden keel to the Serena. I looked out the window to see the Harbinger sink over portside. A gunner below deck accidentally lit the fuse to his canon, and the shot struck the moonstone engine. Both crews were quickly running from their fights and cutting the grapples free from the ship. I watched as my flagship fell into Deep Sky.   
  
"Give the orders for ceasefire to the other ships. Now!" I took Cales by the arm and threw him against the moonstone transmitter. He let out an ooooff! and began his surrender.  
  
"All ships are to ceasefire, I repeat, cease all gunfire."  
  
"I'm sorry, but we cannot do that..." A raspy voice was responding in mutiny to the general's orders, it was Ralinto's first mate Almino; "The orders given to me from the Magistrate were to fire until nothing stood three feet from the ground. They knew you would disobey orders if you knew what the true mission was. I'm sorry general, but you are relieved of command under the authority of the crew and the Silver Magistrate of Arcadia. Prepare to be... relieved, captain..." The transmission ended. Suddenly, cannon fire whizzed by on both port and starboard sides of the Serena. There was a crash and a slight buckle to the port-stern. We were hit. My subconscious took over my actions. I grabbed the wheel and allowed my subconscious to take over the ship. It reached to every crewmember aboard; opposing forces put down their weapons and went to tasks.  
  
I looked over at Ralinto and said, with a face wincing in blinding pain, "I am now captain of this vessel. Any objections will result in immediate casting overboard. Right now we have to get the hell out of here!" I flung the wheel into a spin, abruptly turning the ship and pointing the nose to God's Eye. We have to get out. We have to get help. For my people... for myself. 


	3. A Desperate Attempt

3. A Desperate Attempt  
  
The Serena was taking volley after indiscriminate volley of cannon fire. The steep climb into God's Eye was treacherous; a single motion off the path could land a cannonball into the ship's vital innards. Smoke was already pouring from the stern of the ship; one of the five engines had taken a bad hit on the initial approach of our exit. My back felt the collision as if a spiked stick was smacked into my body. Looking outside the bridge, the Dark Rift seemed like a night sky with explosive stars crowding all around in excitement. The madness was almost majestic; almost pleasing. We continued ascent to heights unreachable by our Black Moonstone ships. Soon we would be out of the Rift and in the clear, or so I had thought.  
  
We erupted out of the Rift with a violent force. This is the farthest away from home I've ever been. In all honesty, no one from the Ebon Civilization had seen anything beyond the Rift, except on nights like this, but it was like gazing at the rest of the world through a hazy window. It never satisfied our curiosity, but all our attempts to soar to these altitudes ended in failure, and all the navigation ships we sent to map a safe course through the Rift's many passages have never returned. For some odd reason, our allies the Silvites have never offered to show us the outside world either. Diplomatic councils were always held in the conference room of my palace, although I've never been to them. It was always my Uncle Jales' job, as king, to meet with diplomats. Since his death five months ago, relations have pretty much remained distant with the Silvites, aside from Ralinto's marriage proposal. That was all for naught.  
  
As we broke through the final clouds of the darkness below us, we could see more Silvite ships in waiting around the exit. We were outnumbered. I gave the orders to hide behind some of the outer Rift clouds to devise a plan. It was hopeless. There were about five or six heavily armed vessels waiting for any signs of the Serena, my guess is they already knew about the mutiny before the campaign was underway. Whether that was true or not, I would rather be ready for the worst. I called the tacticians of both crew to the bridge. By now Cales gained full movement of his body. He did not resist. Despite Sarlinto's ease in trapping him, he was the best swordsman I had ever known. His cooperation was a sign of his repentance and my evidence that he knew nothing of the reason in which the attack was mounted. A man in the loop does not act surprised as he did, and certainly would not be subject to a commanded mutiny. We pulled in just beyond the sight of the armada below. The last of the requested crew filed in and we shut the door.  
  
"Let's get down to business, gentlemen. The current situation is as follows: there are half a dozen battleships on the horizon ready to pounce on this ship the moment we poke port out of the Rift. Solutions?" I tried to sound as official and military as possible. In truth I had no experience with battle or the tactics involved, but I could not let the opposing crew know that, even if they seem to be loyal now. Cales appeared to be loyal until this, after all. I looked around at the straining, calculating faces surrounding the table. Minutes passed, and still no sound plan. Then, Sarlinto, of all people, spoke up.  
  
"Perhaps, we could try running at full force until we reach above the range of their guns, then turn south-southeast toward Glacia. Maybe there we can find refuge, and maybe even an ally."  
  
"Good plan, assassin, but how do we outrun the cannons of six heavily armed battleships less than a league away from us? Our current fuel gets a maximum of 15 knots out of the engine. We'd need double, maybe triple the power to pull it off. 'Miracle fuel' that does not exist, at the least on board this ship," retorted one of Ralinto's tacticians. It had Sarlinto stumped for a while, but he sprang back with an answer.  
  
"Maybe, if we combined the positive energy of the silver moonstone in the engine now with the conversion power of the black moonstone on Captain Lazara's staff, it might produce a suitable amount of energy. That is, as long as we run the engine in combustion mode, since the resultant energy would be a negative force explosion. It should, however, propel us forward with more force than we are currently capable of." At that scientific outburst the room was hushed. Engineers on both sides were busy writing down equations and calculations, trying desperately to prove Sarlinto correct with math. Even your assassin friend is warming up to the idea of greater possibilities. When is it going to be your turn to see the beauty of science? My subconscious chimed in with yet another witty retort to reality. I only wish I could control the outbursts, because right now they're clouding my judgment, and I was busy going over the options presented. You know, your friend's theory is correct. When has he ever been wrong? And who knows, he might have a sentient scientist lying dormant in his brain. We all might, and never know it. Besides, have I ever showed you the wrong path? That last one I could not argue with. While to the best of my memory I've never been in any situation quite as dire, I do not remember a time that I could not think my way out of trouble. I guess I do have a calculating scientist in my head determining the best path I should choose to take. I must sound crazy, but I cannot find any conflicting evidence pointing otherwise.  
  
I interrupted the muffled debates with a military voice, "The plan will work. It has to work, since it is our only option outside of surrender. And true sailors never surrender. Make it happen, whatever you need to do." With that I handed the engineers my royal staff and they went off to make preparations. It took a good fifteen minutes, and I was beginning to worry if the ships below would begin pursuit or begin attacking the ground again. Preparations were made, the crews were readied, and I shouted into the moonstone intercom.  
  
"We all know what the plan is. Making it out is top priority. Everyone brace yourselves, and gunners, be ready to help with patchwork to the hull if damage begins to get serious. On my sig--"  
  
Just as we were about to take off, a small fleet of light battleships arose from behind the Ebon Continent. They all shot their cannons at the attacking ships. Two opposing battleships fell into Deep Sky, but there were a good twenty left. At this rate the fleet would not be enough to defend Esantis (capital city of the Ebon civilization... sorry), but judging from their continued velocity they were only trying to escape using our path. Sarlinto gave a hidden grimace. One thing was for sure; those were not Ebon armada ships. In fact, they bore the insignia of the Black Dagger guild, but with an orange background. The same symbol was weaved into their fastly sailing flags as well. The opposing ships returned fire, narrowly missing with every shot. The ships seemed lightning fast. In mere minutes they were almost upon us, but they did not know of the awaiting ships. We had to warn them.  
  
"Navigator, hail the approaching ships." The navigator did as such. But turned back with slight dismay.  
  
"No response. They are ignoring us." Suddenly, an orange beam of light screamed across the sky in our exact direction. It originated from the flagship of the unknown armada.  
  
"Dodge the beam! It looks powerful, and it may only take one hit to deliver a deathblow. Turn the engine on now! Everyone get ready for accelerated launch." The usual hum came on as the engines were readied. This was going to be close. A hissing noise told us the engines were ready for go. One push of a lever and we shot off at speeds unimaginable before now. The beam seemed to freeze in place behind us. The once ominous ships above us sped past out of sight, and we were in the clear. I gave the order to level off and turn toward Glacia, but the lookout sent us an announcement through the intercom.  
  
"A vast! Black Dagger ships over stern not even a quarter league away and pacing us. I suggest pushing the engines to full." I looked over to the navigator and gave the signal to do so. Our heads jerked back, and some of the unready crew flew back to smack against the back wall of the bridge. Now we were going fast. I was sure nothing could catch us now, but I seemed to be wrong.  
  
"Black Dagger ships are still pacing us. We can't outrun them. They're just too damned fast!" the lookout reported. You had no way of knowing this would happen. By all rights the plan would have worked. Perhaps planning for the unknown is something better left up to a real captain. Just what I did not need, a critic. Just as my little voice finished criticizing me, an orange flash came from stern. The flagship fired a second beam. This one found home, and the ship shook with the force of gale winds. Everything lit up. The bright orange light blinded me. Suddenly, everything vanished, and all that was left was black emptiness. Welcome to my world. It seems you are dead. 


End file.
